Color display apparatus



P 1931- w. H. WOODFORD 1,824,859

COLOR DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed March 31, 1930 a lllllllllllilmmma 4 INVENTOR Wu lsmafiIVoodford fiamiifiw Y WM,

A TTORNE YS.

Patented Sept. '29, 1931 PATIENT OFFICE WATSON H. 'WOODFOBD, OFBRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT COLOR DISPLAY APPARATUS v Application filedMarch 31, 1980. Serial No. 440,220.

The present invention relates to a color display apparatus, particularlyfor use in connection with a radio receiver or microphone, the objectbeing to provide an apparatus by means of which color sensations will beproduced in synchronism with sound sensations. The arrangement of colorswill preferably be such that soft, harmonious, slowly changingcolors andcolor blendings will be displayed with the softer modulated tones, whilevivid colors and less harmonious blendin'gs are displayed with thelouder and more intense tones, the range between being accompanied bycolors and blendings designed to be most in keeping with the character"of the sound. It is proposed in the present embodiment to take a smallpercentage of the amplified impulse current from a radio receiving set,or microphone, uti- '20 lizing the gradations of the current to actuatea suitable color screen.

Other objects are to provide a device which will be simple inconstruction and rep liable in operation, and may be readily con- 26nected to a radio receiver, microphone, or

other ap aratus with which it is to be used.

With t e above and other objects in'view, an'embodiment of the inventionis shown in the accompanyin drawings, and this em- 3o bodiment will beereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and theinvention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:' Fig. 1 is a plan view of the color display apparatus,according to the present embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the '40mounting for the rotating drive member em loyed.

ig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the mounting for the color screenemployed.

Fi 5 is a detail elevation of the mounting 45 for t e eIectro-magnetemployed. 7

7 Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawings. Referring to the drawings, theapparatus, 60 according tothe present embodiment of the invention,comprises a frame consisting of a base 10, vertical uprights 11 and 12at each end and front and rear cross bars 13 and 14 extending betweenand supported upon the upper ends of the uprights.

A fixed stud shaft 15 is mounted centrally in the bar 14, andhas arotary drive member 16 mounted thereon, this member having a laminatedsoft steel ring 17 mounted on its face and provided on its hub with aworm gear 18. A small electric motor 19 is mounted upon an inclinedsupport 20 secured to the base 10, its shaft 21 bein journaled in abearing 22 hung from the bar 14 and provided at its end with a worm 23meshing with the worm gear 18. The rotary drive member is adapted to beconstantl driven and, by means of a magnetic clutcfi means, hereinaftermore fully described, to drive the color screen. The motor may besupplied with current from any suitable source and controlled by arheostat to give the desired constant speed to the rotary drive member.

The color screen which is adapted to have movement imparted to it by therotary disk member 16, hereinafter referred to as the power ring, ismounted upon a shaft 24, coaxial with the power ring and having conebearings 25 and 26 at its ends engaged in sockets 27 and 28, providedrespectively in the inner end of the stud shaft 15 and in a cylindricalbearing block 29, adjustably secured in an opening in the bar 13 bymeans of a set screw 30.

A screen carrying disk 31, of insulating material as hard rubber, hasits hub 32 secured upon the shaft 24 by a set screw 33, the circularscreen 34 being secured upon the face of the disk by means of a clampingring 35. The screen is of transparent material and has a series ofcolored segments arranged in such relation that as it is rotated from agiven position the desired colors will be successively brought into thefocus line of a beam of light. This beam of light is supplied by anelectric lamp 36 mounted on the bar 14 and after passing through'thescreen is. diffused by a suitable extended through passages inthehub 32i to a high resistance electrO-magneteG, re?

silient-ly mounted upon 'a pair of spring arms 4'1 and l8 mounted upona- ;block 49 secured to the face of the disk 31. .The end of the magnetis at a minimumdistance from the armature or power ring,- so.that themagnetizing power; is directly'proportional to the magnetizing current,

- counter weight 50 secured upon the disk 31 in diametricallyopposedrelation to the magnet balances theweight of the magnet. The laminatedstructure of thepower ring reduces the effect of reluctance residualmagnetism and eddy currents.

The screenis normally maintained in a given or zero position :by meansof an arm 51, adjustably secured upon the shaft 24 bymeans f of .asetscrew 52, and pressed against a stop arm.53 secured to the bar 13 bymeans of a .coil spring 5a wound about the shaft, and having its endsconnectedto the hub of-the arm 51 and to theiadjustable bearing block29. By rotaryadjustmentof the block29 the tension of thespring may beincreased ordecreased as desired, The adjustment of the arm 51 permitsany dosiredportion of the screen to be placed in the focus line of thelampin the normal. or zero position; I

lhe operationis as follows:

. The'power ring is set in motion, and as the pulsating current fromtheiradiovreoeiver or microphone energizes the high resistanceelectromagnet it. grips thetpower ringend-isdrawn with itagainst'theforce of the coil spring 54 to, a. point: where the magnetizing forceequalizes thezspring resistance As the current decreases or increases inintensity the color. screen either moves back toward the zero positionunder the action ofathe spring or advances toward the", limit ofrotation, which is determined by engagement of the arm '51 with theunder side of th'estop arm 53. In this man,- nerthe complete range of.colors and color blendings are displayed in synchronism with the s'oundrange. The tensionof-the springisadjustable to give variousfltensions,

and asthe tension increases proportionately as the screen moves fromzero position greater current intensity or magnetic energ The rings 37;

is required for the same time period of movement as the dlstancencreases from the zero position. 7

It will be understood that any suitable arrangement of colors may beemployed. For example, the screen may comprise three sections, the firstsectionhaving soft and harmonious colorblendings to correspond to thesoft tones of lnstruments or voice, the second section having morepronounced colors and blendin aand the third section,

having vivid colors and less harmonious blendings'inkeeplng wlththelouder and .more intense sound impulses.

T have "illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactoryembodiment of the invention, but it will be obvious that changes may bemade therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in theappended claims. I

Having thus; described my, invention what I claim and desire {tosecurebyLetter-sPatcut is 1 1. Ina deviceof the character described,

a. rotatable color; displayf' disk, variable drive means for I rotatingsaid disk ,to ,a greater or less extentand means for returning the diskto normal position when released'frointhe drive. a

2. In a device of the character described,

a movable color display element, variable drive means for moving saiddisplay element to a greater or lcssjextent, and means exerting a forceon said display element in opposed direction to said driving element andadapted tobe overcome in varying de grees by said variable drive means.

3. p In a. device of thecharacter described, a movable color displayelement, an-electromagnet adapted to have a current of varying.intensity passed ftherethrough, and means associated with said magnetadapted to move said display element to an extent proportionate to saidcurrent. I i

4;. In a device of I hecharacter described, a movablecolor display.elemenaa driving element, an electro-magnetic clutch; acting betweenthem and means to actuate the ele-v ment in opposite direction; whenreleased by of. varying intensity passedv therethrough,

means adapted to exert a force on said display element in opposeddirection to said driving element, and means for varying the force ofsaid last mentioned means.

7. In a device of the character described, a rotary color displayelement, a rotary driving element coaxial therewith, an electromagnetcarried by said display element and adapted to connect it to saiddriving element and further adapted to have a current of varyingintensity passed therethrough, and means adapted to exert a force onsaid display element in opposed direction to said driving element.

8. In a device of the character described, a movable color displayelement normally occuping a predetermined position, variable drive meansfor moving said display element to a greater or less extent from saidpredetermined osition, and means adapted to return said display elementtoward said predetermined position to a greater or less extent inopposition to said variable drive means.

9. In a device of the character described, a rotatable transparent,variably colored disk, means for reflecting light through the disk,drive means for rotating said disk, an electromagnetic clutch actingbetween the drive means and the disk for rotating the latter in onedirection, and means connected with the disk for rotating it in adirection opposite to that of the drive when released by the clutch.

Signed at Bridgeport in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticutthis 29th day of March A. D. 1930.

WATSON H. WOODFORD.

